The candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, for Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie federal constituency of Delta State in the National Assembly elections, Mr Gibson Akporehe, has denied the claim by one Christopher Anirah that he forged his (Anirah) death certificate to pave way for him to contest, describing the claim as false, malicious and unfounded.

Speaking with newsmen in Warri, yesterday, Akporehe, explained that contrary to Anirah’s claim, the idea to forge his (Anirah) death certificate was muted by Anirah himself to discourage him from going to court to prosecute him after it was discovered that he presented an allegedly fake letter purportedly announcing his (Akporehe) withdrawal from the race to the national secretariat of the party in Abuja on December 30, to secure his substitution.

According to him, “Anirah, in a letter addressed to the party national Chairman dated December 30 where his signature was forged, notified the party leadership that he (Akporehe) was withdrawing from the race for personal reasons and it was based on this purported letter that Anirah’s name was substituted,” adding that it was when he carried out investigations that he realised what happened.

He said: “It is on record that I’ve been the APC candidate for the Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie federal constituency, Delta State for the House of Representatives, but from nowhere, my signature was forged in a letter presented to the national headquarters of the party in Abuja to notify them that I had withdrawn from the race for personal reasons and based on this I was substituted with him.”

“It was when I carried out investigation on what led to my substitution that I realised it was based on a purported letter written by Anirah where my signature was forged that announced my withdrawal from the race that the national secretariat relied on to substitute my name and in a move to prevent me from taking a legal action to prosecute him, Anirah himself knowing the implication of what he had done, persuaded me not to go to court and that he will remedy the situation,” he said.

Akporehe, noted that part of what the remedy proffered by Anirah to avoid prosecution was that he will fake his death certificate and send it to the national secretariat of the party so that my name can be re-instated as the party flag bearer and this he did on his own by securing a death certificate dated January 15, 2015 which he presented in the notification of death duly signed by one Odibo Anirah and addressed to the national Chairman of the party for prompt action.

He explained that it was sequel to this death certificate and notification letter by Anirah to the party national leadership that facilitated his re-instatement and consequent drop of forgery charges against Anirah based on the gentleman’s agreement reached by all parties including the party state executive in Asaba, the state capital.